Josh Oluwayemi

Good news, he's obviously impressing the team a lot.

He's about 6' - 6'1" tall. Looks bigger when you stand next to him. Nice guy, quite modest.

You may recall during the R1 game Piney mentioned that Josh had broken many pre-season records. He set a new club record for the vertical leap, by a country mile. S&C and coaching staff consider him one of the most athletic players the club has seen, at least through his test results. 

So although he's 6'1", he certainly makes up for it with his athletic ability. Look at the save he made after rocketing the ball into Wooton against WU. Hope he can continue to progress his play with ball at feet.

Is the ink dry on that contract extension..just kidding.  He will learn from this and be better for it.  Hope his teammates support him. 

karlpetersson

You may recall during the R1 game Piney mentioned that Josh had broken many pre-season records. He set a new club record for the vertical leap, by a country mile. S&C and coaching staff consider him one of the most athletic players the club has seen, at least through his test results. 

So although he's 6'1", he certainly makes up for it with his athletic ability. Look at the save he made after rocketing the ball into Wooton against WU. Hope he can continue to progress his play with ball at feet.

Shame we aren't playing in the "vertical leap" league then!

I recall Paulsen made a similar mistake against Sydney FC last season and afterwards he went on a roll and never looked back. Let's hope for a similar reaction.

NZPhoenixFan

I recall Paulsen made a similar mistake against Sydney FC last season and afterwards he went on a roll and never looked back. Let's hope for a similar reaction.

 And I recall Chief saying that he was trying to overplay and needed to learn when the team should be more flexible. 

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Three clean sheets for the season already!

LT01

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Three clean sheets for the season already!

😂😂😂

The very obvious name being cut off the top of that list. Love it 😂

Credit to Oluwayemi though for his bounce-back after the derby. Hasn't had a whole lot to do in most of the games, but each week you just feel he's grown a little more - He's shown more of a presence in the box after initially looking pretty stuck to his line/six yard area for his first few appearances. I stated in another thread that I'd also noticed he was far more vocal in the Victory game. Probably helps that he's got such a well drilled and structured defensive setup in front of him too which is all any goalkeeper can ask for really.

Hopefully that upward trajectory continues throughout the season. Could easily become one of our better pickups, and you can guarantee he will be a vital cog in any success we might have on the pitch this year.

really love this kid aye, level headed and seems to understand the game pretty well.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360505977/wellington-phoenix-keeper-josh-oluwayemi-his-big-blunder-and-auckland-fc-player-who-let-him-know

I’m not sure why they’d put him up for media again tbh. They did it for the first derby and he’s just arrived. 

Let him do his talking on the pitch and focus on his game rather than reliving that. 

martinb

I’m not sure why they’d put him up for media again tbh. They did it for the first derby and he’s just arrived. 

Let him do his talking on the pitch and focus on his game rather than reliving that. 

I mean I assume he's comfortable with it since I can't imagine Chiefy forcing him to do media if he doesn't want to?

martinb

I’m not sure why they’d put him up for media again tbh. They did it for the first derby and he’s just arrived. 

Let him do his talking on the pitch and focus on his game rather than reliving that. 

He is literally the only one who can answer questions about "that goal" which occurred in that derby. Press would have asked to speak with him.

I was surprised at the time re his contract extension after two games, seemingly based on what he was doing in training, and even more so now with the emergence of AKH. 
He's never looked a dominant keeper, preferring to stay on his line for crosses and in his box when the ball was near. He's a decent shot stopper, but you don't get to this level if you're not that, but it's all the rest that makes up an excellent keeper. 
AKH looks from what we've seen (in ironically two games) a vast improvement in every aspect over Oluwayemi.

- cue a AKH clanger on the weekend 😁

AKH has looked great. But lets wait to see how the rest of the season goes.
He does however look calm and confident. More so than Oluwayemi has looked from season start. Must help having your twin brother out there with you. Proud parents no doubt.

Alby would have been annoyed to let the goal in with a partial block, but put that behind him to be MOTM.

Hopefully he plays like that til season end. If that happens the club and Josh may agree to a mutual early release. Alot could depend on how backups Dublin Boon and Matt Foord are looking. I thought Foord looked promising at the last U17 WC.

But if Oluwayemi left a season early, it would leave  a very young keeping group. Might be better to keep him around pushing AKH, lending some experience to the squad, even if taking up a visa spot.

All hypothetical stuff, after only 2 games!!

I too would like to see some more games from AKH but as things stand now I don't see how Josh could regain his spot short of an injury. I don't think he's bad but he really needs to works on his consistency and being more positive with the ball

I wonder what role in Paulsen's and Alby's development was played by having Jack Duncan around.   If not much, then having a young keeper group may be irrelevant.  My own  thought (a hunch) is that it helps to have an older role model even if they do not play week in week out.

coochiee

AKH has looked great. But lets wait to see how the rest of the season goes.
He does however look calm and confident. More so than Oluwayemi has looked from season start. Must help having your twin brother out there with you. Proud parents no doubt.

Alby would have been annoyed to let the goal in with a partial block, but put that behind him to be MOTM.

Hopefully he plays like that til season end. If that happens the club and Josh may agree to a mutual early release. Alot could depend on how backups Dublin Boon and Matt Foord are looking. I thought Foord looked promising at the last U17 WC.

But if Oluwayemi left a season early, it would leave  a very young keeping group. Might be better to keep him around pushing AKH, lending some experience to the squad, even if taking up a visa spot.

All hypothetical stuff, after only 2 games!!

Another hypothetical situation if AKH continues to perform, then maybe an overseas club comes in with an offer.

Dougie Rydal

I was surprised at the time re his contract extension after two games, seemingly based on what he was doing in training, and even more so now with the emergence of AKH. 
He's never looked a dominant keeper, preferring to stay on his line for crosses and in his box when the ball was near. He's a decent shot stopper, but you don't get to this level if you're not that, but it's all the rest that makes up an excellent keeper. 
AKH looks from what we've seen (in ironically two games) a vast improvement in every aspect over Oluwayemi.

- cue a AKH clanger on the weekend 😁

It seemed a rather strange decision to extend his contract - at the time - and even stranger in hindsight. 

From where we are, with playoffs less likely than the opposite, what the hell do we do - give Olu a couple of opportunities to show his worth so we can hawk him off??? God knows if I know whats going on

Early days for AKH. Could easily have a couple of shockers in the coming games, in which case I'm sure we wouldn't be massively upset if Josh could slot back in, with a point to prove. Aside from his two clangers he is an above average shot stopper, and if he could just find some confidence playing it out from the back...

But Bonnie Jansen on the FF podcast has seen enough, is very certain that Josh should be shown the door at season's end. 

If Josh isn't the #1 at the end of the season, it shouldn't be too hard to get mutual with him. He did say that best advice he had got, was to go somewhere where you can play. He won't be satisfied sitting out another season on the bench.

I was one of the most critical of Josh and ironically, I think he had his best game prior to being dropped. I don't think that dropped ball was completely his fault, and he kept us in the game until then. His biggest issue is his lack of confidence in playing out.

A young academy kid will always have more leeway than an import though. Alby made a mistake on Macarthurs goal - horrendous save attempt - but was generally not bad.

Was absolutely his fault. A competent keeper is screaming at his defender to leave it, I have got this. If he had done so, Wootton wouldn't have gone in for it like he did. But putting that aside, the collision wasn't enough to make him drop it. He's supposed to be this massive physical specimen, to drop it like he did was so weak. 

I don't think we need to hit the 'early release' conclusion for everyone who loses their place in the starting XI

reg22

I don't think we need to hit the 'early release' conclusion for everyone who loses their place in the starting XI

Import spots are valuable and there’s no point subbing on a goalkeeper.

What if there is an injury, red card, or he has a string of games.

never judge a player after 2 games. 

I’m not sure if this is a go at the person who offered Josh a new contract after two games or not 😂

Friar Tuck

reg22

I don't think we need to hit the 'early release' conclusion for everyone who loses their place in the starting XI

Import spots are valuable and there’s no point subbing on a goalkeeper.

 Yeah it's a wasted VISA spot at this point. If we have a local doing a good enough job we can use that VISA better. I'd look to release early at the end of this year if the situation doesn't change. Poor dude.. he seems like a good kid. 

I'll say, it's early days yet.  We all remember the midseason comparisons between Marinovic and Sail, Sail and Paulsen etc.

This can only be good for both Kelly-Heald and Oluwayemi. Both young keepers still learning their trade, now they are competing for the #1 spot . Both have had good games this season, Josh, having played more has made a few errors whcih he was on the way to correcting. The only thing the club is missing is a senior pro keeper to guide them like Duncan did with Paulsen.

theprof

This can only be good for both Kelly-Heald and Oluwayemi. Both young keepers still learning their trade, now they are competing for the #1 spot . Both have had good games this season, Josh, having played more has made a few errors whcih he was on the way to correcting. The only thing the club is missing is a senior pro keeper to guide them like Duncan did with Paulsen.

Yeah I disagree that Josh is now a wasted visa spot. Maybe not as good a visa player as others in the past but he has been, if nothing else very helpful to provide competition for the #1 spot. Healthy competition for spots is so important in football - I mean who is our 3rd keeper? Could he even provide a threat of competition to AKH? 

If there was no competition for that spot then AKH may not have developed anywhere near as quick as he has. I remember watching him 6 months ago or so and he was not great but the last 2 games he has been about as good as you can expect a young keeper to be. I'm sure part of that is due to competition and Josh's influence. I guarantee they're both pressuring each other to improve.

Like many have mentioned Duncan must have been brilliant last season for APs development. I mean just check out Duncan at Melbourne Victory right now - to me he has put in excellent performances, probably a top 4 keeper in the league - and we had him providing support to AP last year which was awesome.

I believe Oli lost his sharpness when Uffie made him captain and in effect indicated he wouldn’t be dropped. Up to that point he was fighting for his spot every game. 

I don’t think it does Alby any harm to have Josh to train and compete with. 

It sounds like we don’t particularly want to spend a lot of money anyway, so it’s unlikely we were bringing in Balotelli or a player like Hemed anyway. 

Elemenop

Friar Tuck

reg22

I don't think we need to hit the 'early release' conclusion for everyone who loses their place in the starting XI

Import spots are valuable and there’s no point subbing on a goalkeeper.

 Yeah it's a wasted VISA spot at this point. If we have a local doing a good enough job we can use that VISA better. I'd look to release early at the end of this year if the situation doesn't change. Poor dude.. he seems like a good kid. 

Dont agree at all not as if visa players are lining up to join us. Also bit early after only two games to be thinking AKH has the number one spot for the rest of the season. Yep he made some good saves but so has Josh. So you want to get rid of him and if AKH gets injured or has a loss of confidence or form Boon get promoted . No thanks.

anaveragestem

theprof

This can only be good for both Kelly-Heald and Oluwayemi. Both young keepers still learning their trade, now they are competing for the #1 spot . Both have had good games this season, Josh, having played more has made a few errors whcih he was on the way to correcting. The only thing the club is missing is a senior pro keeper to guide them like Duncan did with Paulsen.

Yeah I disagree that Josh is now a wasted visa spot. Maybe not as good a visa player as others in the past but he has been, if nothing else very helpful to provide competition for the #1 spot. Healthy competition for spots is so important in football - I mean who is our 3rd keeper? Could he even provide a threat of competition to AKH? 

If there was no competition for that spot then AKH may not have developed anywhere near as quick as he has. I remember watching him 6 months ago or so and he was not great but the last 2 games he has been about as good as you can expect a young keeper to be. I'm sure part of that is due to competition and Josh's influence. I guarantee they're both pressuring each other to improve.

Like many have mentioned Duncan must have been brilliant last season for APs development. I mean just check out Duncan at Melbourne Victory right now - to me he has put in excellent performances, probably a top 4 keeper in the league - and we had him providing support to AP last year which was awesome.

Our third keeper is Dublin Boon and our fourth is Matt Foord. 

Both will be pushing AKH very hard, although it’s important to note that they’re both just highly rated youth players at this stage. Boon does have experience in a pro environment from his time in the Netherlands.

Personally I’d let Josh go and look to bring in an experienced Duncan type like Daniel Margush, Matt Acton, Mark Birighitti, or even Scott Basalaj.

If Chief/whoever the manager is next season doesn’t like that, then Nik Tzanev is off contract in 2025.

It's all so early in this debate. AKH may have a howler this weekend.

However if he is still the no 1 at season's end, but Oluwayemi wants to stay for season 2025/26, that's not a bad outcome. Sure you have a visa spot taken on a keeper who may not be first choice, but how many ALM clubs are actually using all 5 visa spots now anyway.

Options above like Birighitti are likely more expensive than Josh O. 
Oluwayemi will be 24 in March, and has alot of experience between Spurs, Pompey and Finland. He entered Tottenham's Academy as a 10 year old. He's old enough to be that experienced head with the younger keepers.

Rueben Parker though only 29 himself, also seems to be highly rated as GK coach.

But yeah any debate is premature until May/June.

Yea if we let him go and Alby has a few rough games we will be begging for someone in that spot.

Josh certainly had some great moments early on so hopefully he develops and the two of them become great keepers fighting for the spot.

The defense has had some howlers as well including way too many own goals.  So we are naturally looking for our scapegoats.

ballane

Elemenop

Friar Tuck

reg22

I don't think we need to hit the 'early release' conclusion for everyone who loses their place in the starting XI

Import spots are valuable and there’s no point subbing on a goalkeeper.

 Yeah it's a wasted VISA spot at this point. If we have a local doing a good enough job we can use that VISA better. I'd look to release early at the end of this year if the situation doesn't change. Poor dude.. he seems like a good kid. 

Dont agree at all not as if visa players are lining up to join us. Also bit early after only two games to be thinking AKH has the number one spot for the rest of the season. Yep he made some good saves but so has Josh. So you want to get rid of him and if AKH gets injured or has a loss of confidence or form Boon get promoted . No thanks.

Visa's should be used on your best players. They normally cost more etc.
I'd give him to the end of the year to prove himself. 

The club liked the look of Josh from a distance and signed him. 

They then saw him up close and offered him a longer deal almost straight away.

There's clearly a big up side to his potential and I personally saw enough to think that he will be a very good keeper. 

The club were also well aware of Alby's ability, before they signed Josh.

So, two keepers with big potential. Both fitting the business plan of develop and sell.

Therefore, one losing his place does not mean the club should get trigger happy like some on here